Open University 
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I have been
studying with the Open University since 1987 and have thoroughly enjoyed
it. Compared to a conventional university degree (I also studied at the
University of Reading) there are several advantages:
- It's much cheaper. You
need 360 points to gain an honours degree and a 60-point course will
typically cost about £500 - 700. If you can't manage the full fee up
front you can choose to pay in installments and if you're on a low
income you can apply for a grant.
- It's extremely flexible.
You don't need to decide on the degree you want to follow right at the
beginning of your studies, just take it one course at a time. You can
build courses up to qualify for a particular named degree or you can
just mix and match for a generic BA or BSc.
- You can fit it in with your
current lifestyle. You don't have to take a set number of points
per year , tutorials aren't compulsory and there are no set hours.
Study in your lunch hour, on the train, in front of Eastenders etc.
That's not to say there are no deadlines - you do need to be able to
manage your time in order to get assignments to your tutor on
time.
Although you don't have the benefit
of being part of a campus student community, you can interact with your
fellow students online or through tutorials and study groups (I met my
husband at a study group meeting 17 years ago!).
If you are interested in learning more about the courses on offer
visit the OU website.
The courses I've completed are
listed below:
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Current course...
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| AA310 |
Film and Television
History |
|
2009 |
|
Previous courses... |
| M364 |
Fundamentals of
Interaction Design |
2 |
2007 |
| M254 |
Java Everywhere |
3 |
2007 |
| T209 |
Information &
Communication* |
Distinction |
2006 |
| M206 |
Computing: An Object
Oriented Approach |
2 |
1999 |
| D309 |
Cognitive Psychology |
3 |
1992 |
| D307 |
Social Psychology |
2 |
1991 |
| E206 |
Personality, Development
& Learning |
4 |
1990 |
| DSE202 |
Introduction to
Psychology |
2 |
1990 |
| SD286 |
Biology, Brain &
Behaviour |
3 |
1989 |
| D102 |
Social Science Foundation
Course |
Pass |
1989 |
| S102 |
Science Foundation Course |
Pass |
1988 |
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* As part of
T209, there was a collaborative task which involved using online resources
to create a little website on cybernetics. The main objectives were to
learn how to work together as a group and to demonstrate correct academic
referencing but as a by product the website itself turned out to be quite
interesting. Here it is: Cyborg
Web
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Last updated 01 March 2009
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